Gulfport Candidate Debates: Three Questions For Each Candidate

 During last week’s candidate debate, audience members asked the candidates for Gulfport city council questions. Candidates had one minute to respond to each question. Based on e-mails we received and comments on our Facebook page, we selected three questions for each candidate and asked them to elaborate on their answers. Here’s what they told us:
 

 To watch the full debates, please click here. This article is intended as a supplement, not a replacement, to the debate, and the Gabber encourages all voters to watch the full video of the debate before making their decision.

Dan Liedtke
Q: You said you wouldn’t want your wife walking along 49th Street after dark. How much money should the city spend to make 49th Street a place where you would feel comfortable?
A: First, I am not a law enforcement professional and I will not claim to know more than those who are. The amount of money needed to make the 49th Street corridor a safer place depends on what recommendations and ideas are brought forward to address the issues. Representatives from the city of Gulfport and the Gulfport Police Department should be scheduling meetings or round table discussions with the St Petersburg Police and the Sheriff to talk about what can be done to improve personal safety along 49th Street. If those agencies recommend video monitoring then we should look at our options for that type of approach. If the funding for personal safety enhancements along 49th Street is an issue then how about we use the money that has been set aside for the mooring field?

Q: You said if a private company wanted to give the city money for a mooring field, you would be OK with it. Does that mean you would favor privatizing the city’s marina?
A: No...I am not in favor of privatizing the city's marina. My point is that when the city cannot afford its police services (dispatch) and the marina is not full...then we do not need to be spending time or city monies on another place to park a boat.

Q: You said: "I'm not sure that our current city council is totally transparent." Are you making an accusation and on what do you base this?
A:  I am not making any accusations. The question in the forum was "Do you believe the city staff and city council operate with transparency?" I stand by what I said in the forum because I honestly cannot prove or disprove there is 100% transparency in our current city council. I watch all the city council meetings. I see in various meetings where some on council are not prepared for that evening’s agenda. I see in other meetings where votes are quickly cast 3-2 with little to no discussion. So based on these inconsistencies I am not able to draw a conclusion on whether or not the current city council is totally transparent and following the Sunshine laws.
 One item where I know transparency with the people of Gulfport is lacking is with the Red Light Camera program. It was originally projected that the City of Gulfport would generate around $400,000/year from this program. That projection has now been reduced to $100,000/year. In the forum my opponent stood by the claim that the city would still be making $100,000. But after the first 6 months the city has only generated $41,000 and the last month reported (October) the city only made $695. Monetary returns on the Red Light Camera program are diminishing fast. People have learned to "look out" for these intersections. So unless the city starts writing tickets for those who are "thinking" about running a red light, this program will not reach its revised goal of even the reduced projection of $100,000. This example may be more of a case of not fully researching the program, the vendor (ATS) and other cities across the country than a lack of transparency, but the true status of the program shows all is not as we are being told.

David Hastings
Q: You responded to Mr. Liedtke’s suggestion that council may not be transparent with a comment about his lack of attendance, but what reassurances can you offer the residents that council does operate transparently? Some voters have suggested that certain decisions, such as outsourcing police dispatch, were made outside of council chambers. What reassurances do you offer voters that you are not discussing city business and how the council will vote?
A:When I took the oath of office I swore to execute my duties while upholding the laws of the State of Florida. I have done that and plan to continue to do that. I do not know what other assurance I can give other than to say that I have the utmost respect for the process and the people that elected me. I can assure the voters that I always put the city and it's residents first and that I am always open, assessable and available. My extensive record of volunteerism throughout this city demonstrates my openness and public service commitment.

Q: You said that if resources like the marina generate a profit, the city can use that money. How much of that money should those enterprises be allowed to use to service their customers?
A: Enterprise operations, like the marina, must first meet all of its operating expenses. Each year a budget is prepared for the marina listing all expected revenue and detailing all necessary expenditures to service their customers. If there remains a surplus or profit from the budgeted numbers then a distribution of what remains depends upon an economic analysis which includes a review of the total city budget and other factors including the economic times we are experiencing.

Q: You spoke of Gulfport’s budget issues. If re-elected, what will you suggest cutting from the budget?
A: The budget is a major index of the overall health of our city. Council, along with the city manager and his staff, is responsible to ensure whatever funds are available from taxes, fees and grants best serve our city and resident's needs. After council is presented with a preliminary budget prepared by the city manager we typically hold several workshops where we explore all available options with input from residents, staff and the city manager before a final budget is passed by a council majority. Since we have not started that process yet it would be premature to discuss any option that may present itself.

Jim Perry
Q: You said “We need to make people feel safe” on 49th Street. How can you do this?
A: Because 49th Street divides St. Pete and Gulfport, this task becomes more difficult to control the current environment. One suggestion would be to insure that all buildings are maintained without broken windows and litter to avoid the appearance of vacancy. I would also suggest "no loitering signs" be posted and enforced. There is also the suggestion of coordinating with the city of St. Pete code enforcement and police departments to achieve these goals and to assure equal monitoring so that citizens on both sides of the divide feel safe.

Q: You said “It was certainly a lot better when they had dispatchers here.” On what do you base this?
A:  I, as well as many of the Gulfport citizens that I have talked to throughout this campaign, felt much safer knowing that our dispatchers were located within our city, as they have been throughout the history of Gulfport. It may have assisted in balancing the budget, but I feel it removed a critical service and asset to our citizens. It saddens me now that a call for assistance is directed to an individual at a Pinellas County dispatch center to relay a message to the police department located less than a mile from my home. Our local dispatchers were familiar with the city geography, the police officers and many of our citizens. I think the decision to eliminate our local dispatch department was a hasty decision.

Q: You said “There’s many ways to bring in revenue.” Can you give us three solid examples?
A: This is a question that gets me excited because Gulfport is such a beautiful city and has so much to offer.
 Our marina is one of our best assets. It can produce revenue in several ways. A few suggestions to increase revenue at the marina might be lower rates to increase slip rental, increased advertising, expansion of the ship store, maybe even the addition of a drive-through boat wash.
 Our casino: Interior cosmetic upgrading to increase marketability. Additional advertising to include party and wedding planner shows.
 Our recreation center: We have a beautiful facility on the water. Lower rates for non-resident after school care and summer program to increase participation.  
 It may seem like small ideas, but small money adds up to big money and we have to have a broad approach to increasing revenue versus the quick easy solution of cutting services and raising taxes.
  None of this can be achieved by one person's efforts.  I look forward to serving on a council that works together in the best interest of our city.

Jennifer Salmon
Q: One question focused on 49th Street. Please tell us what, specifically, you have done to improve the quality of life for residents along the 49th Street corridor?
A: The quality of life for residents who live along the 49th Street Corridor is affected by the same issues important to all residents: safety, parks, viable businesses, programs to support seniors and children, and code enforcement.
 Safety is a top priority. I am committed to keeping our local police. I voted in the interest of safety and our budget to contract with the Sheriff's office for police dispatch. Although 911 should always be your first call in an emergency, you can still use the same non-emergency number (893-1030) and there are always at least two dispatch officers on every call. Our Gulfport officers see your call at the same time the dispatcher sees it and now they have radio backup and state of the art GPS in their squad cars. This action has saved our city $300,000 annually, and all dispatch officers who wanted to keep their jobs were hired by the Sheriff’s office. Our police and our residents on 49th Street and throughout our city are safer.
 I invited Keep Pinellas Beautiful to conduct their litter survey throughout Gulfport. Thanks to their data and increased awareness of this issue, police are enforcing the state and local litter laws and ordinances that will improve property values throughout the city.  We hired an engineering firm to shepherd our application for federal Brownfields funds which is one piece in attracting new business to 49th Street.  I have also pressed for completing the storm water project on 49th Street.
 During my first year on council, I volunteered 100+ hours at Gulfport Elementary in two kindergarten classrooms.  I was a parent volunteer for t-ball. I have called in repairs to Tomlinson Park and participated in cleanup efforts there. Recently, I volunteered with Gulfport Neighbors in assisting a resident who needed help with his yard and fence in order to be safer. I was a strong proponent of the property tax exemption for low income seniors who live in all parts of the city.

Q: You suggested that you disagree with SWFWMD's course of action in Clam Bayou, although at one time you endorsed it. On what science do you base your statements about Clam Bayou and the ineffectiveness of SWFWMD’s efforts?
A: As a council member I have a responsibility to look at each issue with an open mind and not just from my previous role as an activist. I want to see this long-standing problem in our city resolved in a responsible way that both protects and brings back the marine and bird life that used to exist in great numbers in the basin on the Gulfport side. This is an environmental issue, not a navigation issue.
 My comments are based on data from the 2008 study conducted for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (Karlen et al., 2009) which found contaminants in the top two centimeters of sediment at significantly higher concentrations than in the control sites in 2008 or 2001 for the following: cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, PCB, lindane, dieldrin, chlordane, DDT, lead, PCB, and PAH. Additionally, based on data provided by the Audubon society, I learned that in 2002 there were 35 bird species and 2,433 birds in Clam Bayou. In 2009, there were only 26 bird species and 325 birds.  This story is not unique to Clam Bayou; but other cities are reclaiming their estuaries and flowing waters while we sit silent.
 In my December 2010 meeting with SWFWMD engineers, which the Gabber reporter attended, I learned that the current project will not increase flushing in the basin as promised but it will reduce the amount of new toxins entering our part of the Bayou. They finally finished the 40 foot deep retention ponds upstream from this basin, which will hold new sediment and trash that previously went into the basin. Now, we need to safely remove the accumulated toxic sediment by obtaining proper EPA permits as was done for Lake Maggiore and Sawgrass Lake in St. Pete. We can apply for Brownfields or other grant funds to clean it up. Let's make all of Clam Bayou a safe place to fish and a destination for watching, birds, manatee and dolphins.

Q: Can you address the accusation Mr. Liedtke made that council may not be operating transparently? What reassurances can you offer the residents that council does operate transparently? Some voters have suggested that certain decisions, such as appointing the vice mayor and outsourcing police dispatch, were made outside of council chambers. What reassurances do you offer voters that you are not discussing city business and how the council will vote?
A: I only discuss city business with council members at properly noticed meetings.  The Florida Sunshine Law requires that these public meetings are open and accessible to the public.  
 In terms of the dispatch decision, at our August workshop, I was surprised when the vice mayor brought back the staff recommendations to balance the budget. A few months before, I was alone in wanting to use the roll forward rate, which would garner the same revenues as the previous year because property values had gone down. At that meeting, we also supported staff's desire  to look at contracting dispatch with the Sheriff but there were a lot of questions that needed to be answered.

 I contacted the Sheriff's department to get these answers and he invited our crime watch leader and me to see their communications center. I also contacted the candidates for Sheriff and learned that they would honor all contracts if they were elected.  I reported on what we learned at our next Council meeting. Two other council members and staff made the same trek and expanded or confirmed what I learned in their own independent reports at subsequent council meetings.  
 I have a lot of respect for my colleagues on Council. We each have our own world views. We listen to each other's opinions and work out solutions in the Sunshine.  Because we have to do this in front of you, it can appear messy and sometimes it takes a lot of time. Not all city business requires this much work but when it does, I'm glad we have the latitude to talk it through and not feel pressured to get the work done fast. This is not a show. This is hard work on a public stage.